There are two types of people in the world; those who are trying to force change and embrace it as common advancement of our society. Then there are those who are against it fight for everything to remain at the status quo. Touba an Iranian woman during the rise of Reza Shah, sees change as a necessary evil and remains stoic even as the society around is undergoing mass change. I found the book to be relevant in reference to the struggle that civilization is faced with. I believe that in general Western Civilization to be more forward thinking in the idea that there seems to be the need to modernize and for there almost to be a "breaking news" quality to the existence. Everything is much more media centric. Even in the 1920s and 30s, as it struggled through the great depression, this progressive thinking remained as change was embraced as part of the way of life.
What we see in Touba at times is the fear of what new ideas, beliefs, messages, ways that can alter one's existence. The time of Reza Shah brought fear to those who for great periods of time had been used to a certain way of life. We seeing in recent times how Iran was forced to deal with more change during the Iranian Revolution, when the monarchy that has been in place for several decades is overthrown and placed with the Ayatollah Khomeini. During that time Islamic Fundamentalism reigned as a supreme force and altered greatly the existence that had been heavily influenced by the Westernized perspective. Even today the struggle continues with the U.S. occupation in Iraq and the constant conflict that exists between Israel and Palestine.
